Pakistan, Kazakhstan elevate ties to strategic partnership

Pakistan and Kazakhstan on Wednesday agreed to elevate their bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership, marking a major milestone during President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s state visit to Pakistan after a gap of 23 years.

The understanding was formalised through a Joint Declaration issued following talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Tokayev, covering cooperation across political, security, economic, connectivity, education, climate and people-to-people domains.

The two leaders termed the visit historic, noting that it opened a new chapter in Pakistan-Kazakhstan relations built on shared historical, cultural and religious linkages. Pakistan was among the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan’s independence in 1991.

Under the Strategic Partnership, both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in eight priority areas, including political dialogue, security and defence, trade and investment, transport and logistics, education and IT, culture and media, climate change, and regional and international coordination.

Political, security cooperation

The leaders agreed to hold regular high-level exchanges, including biennial strategic dialogue at the level of foreign ministers.

Parliamentary cooperation and people-to-people contacts will also be enhanced, with discussions on Pakistan’s inclusion in Kazakhstan’s e-visa regime.

In the security domain, both sides reaffirmed commitment to peaceful conflict resolution and agreed to strengthen cooperation against terrorism, extremism, organised crime, cybercrime and drug trafficking. They also agreed to explore establishing a High-Level Security Dialogue.

Several key agreements were signed, including treaties on extradition, combating crime, and joint deployment in UN peacekeeping missions.

Trade, investment and connectivity

Emphasising economic cooperation, the two countries agreed to expand collaboration in sectors such as agriculture, energy, textiles, pharmaceuticals, IT, finance and defence production. Both sides set an ambitious target to increase bilateral trade to $1 billion in the coming years.

The leaders welcomed agreements on transit trade, customs cooperation, financial market regulation, and agriculture-related collaboration. Cooperation through platforms such as the Astana International Financial Centre and Pakistan’s Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was also highlighted.

On connectivity, both sides stressed the importance of multimodal transport corridors linking Central and South Asia, including routes via Afghanistan and China.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Kazakhstan’s proposal for a Trans-Afghan railway corridor, with authorities directed to assess feasibility.

The leaders also agreed to explore the resumption of direct flights and enhanced maritime and postal cooperation.

Education, IT, culture and climate

In education and technology, both sides encouraged student exchanges, joint research, and IT collaboration, including in e-government, AI, fintech, cybersecurity, and space technologies. Several MoUs were signed between IT, digital development, and data authorities of both countries.

Cultural, media, sports, and tourism cooperation will be expanded through multiple agreements, including partnerships between Pakistan TV and Kazakh media organisations, cultural institutions, and sports federations. Sister city agreements between Lahore and Turkestan, and Faisalabad and Shymkent, were also welcomed.

On climate change, Pakistan and Kazakhstan committed to joint action on water security, glacier melting, renewable energy, disaster risk reduction, and environmental sustainability, recognising shared climate vulnerabilities.

The leaders expressed confidence that the Strategic Partnership would contribute positively to regional peace, stability, connectivity, and economic growth across Central and South Asia.

Tokayev receives Guard of Honour

Earlier, PM Shehbaz warmly welcomed President Tokayev at his official residence. President Tokayev was presented with a guard of honour by a smartly turned-out contingent of the armed forces following his arrival.

The Kazakh president arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday for a two-day official visit as the two nations seek to further bolster bilateral ties.

The two countries maintain friendly diplomatic relations, with Kazakhstan being Pakistan’s top export destination among Central Asian countries.

He is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising senior cabinet ministers and other high-ranking officials. A video shared by his office showed the streets in Islamabad adorned with Kazakhstan’s national flag.